On Monday, October 7, I left with a crew of people to
free the Soda Butte wolves from their pen. We did this
by removing part of the fence in the back and leaving
the gate open in the front so the wolves could leave
when they were ready. We didn't want to chase them
from the pen because this might have caused them to
run away from Yellowstone Park.

On Wednesday, October 9, I flew in a small airplane
to check and see if the Soda Butte wolves had left
their pen. All of these wolves are collared so I can
track them using radio signals which we can pick up
from the airplane. As I flew over Yellowstone Lake
toward the wolf pen I picked up a signal. I was disappointed
because it seemed to be coming from the pen. Wolves
are very leery of people so even if they could run
out of the pen right away, they don't. They figure
it is some kind of human trick. They take their time
checking things out. I very much wanted these wolves
to be free again after being in the pen all summer.
We all want to see them living like wolves are supposed
to.

As we flew toward the pen I realized that the signal
was not coming from the pen! The pilot and I flew
five more miles and saw the Soda Butte Pack sleeping
on the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake. They were out
in the open just laying there! As we flew over them,
they got up and greeted each other. Wolves are related
to dogs and they communicate with tail-wagging and
by licking each other on the face. They looked great
and I was relieved.

The alpha male, the leader of the pack, is very old.
I saw him lead the pack away from the lake. He and
his mate were traveling together in the front of the
pack, which is how packs usually travel. Their daughter
from last year, and two pups from this year (one male,
one female) followed. After being caught and moved
from a ranch this spring and kept inside a pen all
summer, the Soda Butte wolves were once again back
in the wild where they belong.